What happens when someone is arrested in Arizona
The legal process for those who have been arrested can be confusing. Here’s how the legal system works in these cases.
A woman was arrested Thursday afternoon for arson and first-degree murder after two people were killed in a Phoenix business fire on Saturday, according to court records.
Katisha Susan Smith, 44, of Phoenix was arrested for her alleged involvement in a fire at J&J Sofa Manufacturing near 59th Avenue and Buckeye Road, court documents state. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was initially called to the fire just past 10 pm Saturday and arson investigators later discovered that two unidentified people died in the building — one at the entryway and another inside the burned structure, according to records.
Surveillance footage revealed that just before the fire, a man and a woman, identified as Smith by detectives, arrived at the business in a vehicle. Court documents indicate that after the two suspects exited the vehicle, Smith handed an unknown object to the man, who then ignited it. Subsequently, the man threw the flaming object into the property before both suspects fled the area in their vehicle.
The Phoenix Fire Department responded to the incident after a caller reported a “small debris fire” by an electrical pole in the area, court documents state. However, records show that when fire department personnel arrived, they discovered the fire had spread to the surrounding structures.
Charging documents state that the Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled the deaths of the two people found in the burned structure as homicides. When a homicide detective from the sheriff’s office questioned Smith about the fire, court records state that Smith said she was “forced to participate” in the incident.
Upon searching Smith’s apartment, detectives also located “dangerous” drugs and drug paraphernalia, according to charging documents.
Court records show that Smith was booked into a Maricopa County jail on the following charges: two counts of first-degree murder; one count of arson; one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of dangerous drugs.
Smith was scheduled to next appear in court on Friday.
Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news reporter for The Republic. Reach her at [email protected] or 480-619-0285. Follow her on @madelineynguyen.
